Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward defensive end Deonte Gibson was blindsided by the news that Dave Wannstedt will no longer be the head coach at Pitt.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound line prospect had committed to the Panthers a few months ago back in August and the coaching staff had been a huge factor in his choice.

Now it appears as though the three-star defensive lineman is opening things back up and willing to listen to other schools.

"I was real disappointed," Gibson said, referring to the news of Wannstedt's resignation. "I thought I was going to be able to play for him at Pitt. Also, it was the coaching staff around him. I know when he does leave a new coach is going to bring in a new staff.

"I went down over the summer and it was the way they coached and how they all gelled together. It seemed like the perfect fit. It helped me commit so early.

"It's two months away from Signing Day and I don't know how I'm going to stay committed to a school if I don't know who the coaches are going to be. I'm still talking to my mom about it and I'm going to figure something out in the next few days."

Prior to his decision Gibson said he had a top five of Pitt, Michigan State, Northwestern, Stanford and Cincinnati. He said he may contact the coaches at those other four schools in the near future to see if any of them would still be interested in having him join their program.

"That's pretty much what I'm doing now," he said. "I'm opening back up the process."